Buried Alive
by Dark Lady Eris
Summary: Dom wasn't sure what it would be like entering that room, the control he had to put into place to keep himself from attacking that man. "You're not a cop," he said the moment Dom walked into the room. "No," Dom shook his head. "There's one in my family though, an important person that we all love, and can't lose." The man's eyes lit up in surprise, "you're him." DOM/BRIAN


Okay, so let me start out by saying I am sorry. I know I've been gone for a bit. There is a good reason for it I swear, its just personal. I know that this isn't one of my bests, and again I am sorry, just trying to get back in the F&F groove. That being said I don't own the fast and furious franchise, nor characters. I also got this idea from an episode of Cold Case, which I also don't own anything from. I apologize if you don't like the story, please just don't be cruel. Reviews always inspire me to write, so if you do like it please let me know. I am sorry for any mistakes, my glasses are broken and I won't be getting a new pair until tomorrow. I had to make the print extra large to even read it, so there is a chance I missed something because I have severe double vision. Again, sorry if this isn't at the level of my other stories.

 _ **The Last Will and Testament of Brian Anthony O'Conner**_

 _ **I have nothing to give, except my thanks to a family who didn't have to let me in the way they did. I never had one before you, it was something I always dreamed of when I was kid living on the streets. Something I never thought I would have, but am so grateful for.**_

 _ **It seems fitting to die here, the place where I began to finally live.**_

 _ **I know I'm undeserving, I lied to you, but you were able to see past that and take me in anyways. I want need you to know that I fought hard, I didn't just give in to death. I wanted to stay with you, which is surprising I have faced death many times and had been ready, welcomed it even, only to be pulled back. Like I was meant for more, I was meant to wait for you.**_

 _ **You are what makes this so hard now, unlike the other times. Knowing I will leave you is my biggest regret in life, my only. I know that I'm going to die, know he is going to be the one to kill me, I don't see a way out of this, I am just glad for this opportunity given to say goodbye.**_

 _ **To say I'm sorry that I won't see you graduate from medical school Mia, won't see you become the amazing doctor I know you will be.**_

 _ **Sorry that I won't have more time with you Leon, to pull pranks and make Vince want to pull his hair out when he's our target.**_

 _ **Jesse, I can't even tell you I'm just sorry I won't be there to listen to you talk about your designs, I'm just sorry Jesse.**_

 _ **Letty I know we weren't always close but we were working on it and it feels like a hole is being put in me because I will never know how close we could have become.**_

 _ **Vince I'm sorry, I'm so sorry about everything. Mainly I'm sorry for not telling you I thought of you as brother, and just how much having one of those meant to me after being alone for so long.**_

 _ **I thought of all of you as family, I'm sorry I couldn't say the words out loud, sorry I couldn't return the I love yous, or the hugs. I'm sorry I was always so untouchable, unreachable, I was just afraid. Afraid to let you in fully, afraid to lose what I craved for so long. It was mistake, because now I won't be able to give those hugs, won't ever know what it's like.**_

 _ **Maybe in my own time I would have lost that fear, but now we'll never now, and I'm more than sorry for that.**_

 _ **I'm sorry for a lot of things when it comes to you Dom. Not telling you sooner I was cop, not making my choice long before race wars. I'm not sorry for what I did in the end, please don't ever think that. What you gave me, a family, a home, a place to belong, that means everything to me. I didn't really start living till I chose you over everything else. I'm sorry I couldn't win this one, couldn't find a way out of it. I'm just so unbelievably sorry for that because now I have to tell you in this letter, instead of telling you to your face. I love you.**_

 _ **I love everything about you, the way you talk, walk, your comforting but non overbearing presence. I've loved you since the first moment I saw you in that café, the intensity in your eyes, the ghost of smirk on your face when I've done some stupid but amusing. There is more but this paper is getting smaller and I know my time is running out.**_

 _ **I want all you to know that in the past I would have died sad and alone, but thanks to all of you I am happy, and even though you are not psychically with me, you still are and that makes it's easier to die now.**_

 _ **I love you,**_

 _ **Brian**_

Dom was a mixture of emotions, grief, anger, loss, sad, confused, and he didn't even know where to begin to unravel them. "Is he?" He choked out to Tanner.

Tanner looked at the piece of paper that Dom held heavily, "follow me," he told Brian's family.

Mia held on to Vince's arm for support while they walked, she needed answers; she wanted to know why, why this was happening. They couldn't have lost Brian.

Tanner led them to a room that had a one way mirror. Vince noticed immediately that Bilkins was on the other side talking to an older man they didn't know.

"He came in this morning holding a shovel, admitted to murdering a kid seven years ago. Seven years ago when Brian was working on his first big case, a case that went cold, a kid named Michael Kelton buried alive and forced to write out his own will before he died."

"No," Mia gasped out falling forward only staying up right because of Vince's shaky hold on her.

"Are you saying?" Vince asked looking lost, his normal tough guy routine gone.

"He looked for Brian, chose him, and he buried him somewhere, and he won't tell us where." Tanner told them sadly, worry clouding his face.

Dom felt like he whole world was crashing down, their Brian, his Brian the one that came in their lives and filled a hole they didn't know they had, he was in the ground somewhere, scared and alone.

"What has he told you?" Leon asked holding onto a shaking Jesse who couldn't talk in his shock.

"He's only talked about the cold case, nothing about Brian besides handing us the note."

Dom looked through the mirror, anger bubbling over the surface, "can a non-cop go in there?"

Tanner turned to Dom, "if you kill him he can't talk, if you hurt I have to put you in jail, and that won't help Brian."

Dom gritted his teeth, "I'm not going to actually hurt him, not until we find Brian, if the cops aren't getting anything what does me trying hurt?"

Tanner nodded, "ten minutes Toretto."

Dom wasn't sure what it would be like entering that room, the control he had to put into place to keep himself from attacking that man.

"You're not a cop," he said the moment Dom walked into the room.

"No," Dom shook his head. "There's one in my family though, an important person that we all love, and can't lose."

The man's eyes lit up in surprise, "you're him."

Dom turned to face the guy, "him who?"

"Your name is Dom; Brian talked about you a lot. How he lied to you, and you forgave him anyways, how he loved you even though he knew you would never love him back."

"Where is he?" Dom asked quietly his stomach tied in knots of despair when he thought of the possibility of Brian being gone, lost to him forever.

The man looked down at his hands, "he's in the ground now."

Dom walked closer to the table and slammed his hands down on it, "where?!"

"Brian was so unlike the first kid, he was fighter, tried everything to get away. I had to knock him out for the majority of the drive. When he realized he couldn't get away he became oddly calm nothing like I've seen before. He talked about his life before he met all of you, how hard it was. Then he talked about it after, how happy he was, but still living like the other shoe was going to drop. He talked about his regrets of not being able to tell you and his family how much you all meant to him. He didn't beg, or bargain for his life. He only cried when he was writing that letter, then he wiped the tears away and didn't do so again."

It was the clear the man wasn't going to tell him where Brian was, so Dom's only plan was to get him talking and hope the man slipped up somewhere. "Why him?"

"Seven years," the man said slowly. "Seven years and everyone else but the boy's parents had forgotten about that one cold case never solved. Not Brian though, he visited the park where the boy chose to die often, every month. I watched him, staring at the spot where the boy drew his last breath; it took six hours for him to die. A killer who wouldn't forget, and the cop who couldn't. A man like him had to be haunted by his past, and his failures, and I couldn't help but wonder what his last thoughts would be. Would he be angry, sad, guilt ridden? I never imagined he would be as accepting of it as he was. Like he had everything he needed to die a whole man. I guess he did, he said he had all of you. The only pain I saw him face was when he had to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Dom choked out.

"His will of course, I wanted him to be able to die with his affairs in order. When someone dies you lose that one person, you grieve, and you mourn. When you're the one dying you lose everyone all at once, it was a heartbreaking thing to watch. To know he would never know what happens to all of you, that is the only pain he felt. Never knowing if you loved him too." The man leaned up in his chair and looked over at Dom curiously, "do you, love him as well?"

Dom bit the side of his cheek to keep himself from yelling out at the man, or from standing up and killing him. "Yes, I love him the exact way he loves me, so I need you to tell me now where he is! So I can tell him that! Just what do you want? A deal, I'm sure the cops will give you one if you tell them where he is."

The man shook his head, "I don't want a deal."

"Then what do you want?!" Dom screamed out of him.

"I want to talk to Michael Kelton's parents."

Tanner opened the door and motioned for Dom to leave the room. Tanner put his hand on Dom's shoulder once the door was shut, "that was good Toretto, you got some useful things out of him."

"Like what?" Dom asked doubtful.

Tanner looked at him with hope in his eyes, "like the fact Brian is alive. He said it took six hours for Michael to die, forensics just confirmed that, it means we have at least four hours. He also said that Michael Kelton chose where he wanted to die. He buried him in the rain, just like it's raining tonight. He will follow that pattern; it means where ever Brian is, it's somewhere that he chose."

"He wants to talk to the parents of the kid that died," Dom told Tanner who nodded, "I need to ask them to Tanner."

"They are here now, in that office over there, I can't promise they will Toretto it's a lot to ask."

Dom nodded heavily, "I have to try."

He walked to the office they were in and closed the door behind him. He walked over to a chair and sat down. He looked up and met the woman's eyes first, saw the pain that clouded in them. He didn't want to ask her to do this, but he knew, he knew if he didn't that he would have that same look in his eyes for the rest of his life. The look of loss, heartbreak. "I don't know how to ask this."

"If it's about our son's death you can be sure we've been asked countless questions by the cops about it, just ask dear," the old woman said while sniffing quietly.

Dom shook his head, "I'm not a cop. I'm in love with one though, one you might remember from..." Dom trailed off not knowing how to finish that thought. "His name is Brian O'Conner."

"Brian!" The woman's eyes flashed, "We know Brian he still calls to give us updates on the case, let us know he hasn't given up."

Dom nodded, "the man who admitted to..."

"Killing our son," the man in front of him filled in blunt and to the point, like it had been said several times before.

"He took Brian, he buried him somewhere," Dom knew there were tears falling down his face, but he couldn't make himself care, Brian was dying and it was killing Dom inside. The woman covered her mouth in shock. "I tried to talk to him, ask him where Brian is, but he won't answer, won't even make a deal. I asked him what he wanted, and he said talk to you two. I understand if you can't do it," Dom looked down at the table trying to hide the pain on his face. He didn't want to the guilt these people who already lost so much into doing this too. "But I love him, like the I want to watch him grow gray and old, spend the rest of my life watching him steal my coffee in the mornings because he always does, listen to him laugh and talk nonstop, and he doesn't even know it. I've never told him, and I might not get that chance if we can't find him, so I have to try, I'm sorry I have to ask."

"We will do it," the couple in front of Dom said together causing him to jerk his head up in surprise.

"He took my son, took him before he could fall in love, I won't let him take someone else before they have their chance to," Mrs. Kelton said firmly while patting the back of Dom's hand.

It seemed like hours they were sitting in a small waiting room, waiting for Tanner to come back and give them some information. The family had stepped out of the integration room to give the boy's mother and father privacy when facing their son's killer. They nly knew that the man had finally given his name, and Tanner was able to hunt down an ex-wife. They went to see here right away, hoping to get some information they could use.

It gave Dom time to think about Brian's letter, the last words that could possibly ever come from the man. His shaky writing on that letter had scared Dom, because he knew it meant that deep down Brian was frightened himself. His admittance of being afraid, afraid to let himself get to close. Brian was always like an untouchable island, look but don't touch. Don't reach out, don't hug, don't ruffle his hair, or kiss his head. They had all tried, but the man would flinch back violently. It was hard to control themselves from not doing so, they were a hands on family, always showing affection by touch, but they did so.

To know Brian long for those touches wanted them, but was too afraid that he would lose them, it was heart wrenching.

To know that Brian loved him, the same way he loved Brian, but never told him. That he carried that same regret that Dom felt now into the ground with him, Dom couldn't stand it. He was angry with himself, for not finding the guts to tell Brian the truth, and go after what he wanted more than anything. He didn't know what he would do, or any of the family for that matter, if they lost Brian.

He did know one thing though, if he was lucky enough to get him back, if he got another shot he would take it. He would tell Brian he was loved; he would hug and kiss him. He would grab on and not let go.

Tanner popped his head in, "we got something it's not much, but it might be something to use. Toretto come with me, he talked more to you than anyone else."

Dom nodded and stood quickly, he followed Tanner back into the room that held the man that took the most self sacrificing, the most honest to god good man and left him alone to die.

"Talked to your ex-wife, found out about the cancer you were diagnosed with seven years ago. Had a ticking time bomb, you were going to die." Tanner spat out crossing his arms and standing over him.

The man nodded, "then I beat it."

"But not before you killed Michael Kelton, and I figured out why. You killed him because you were afraid, and wanted to know what it was like to die. Because you were jealous, angry, Michael had a full life ahead of him, but not you."

"He was a seventeen year old kid, so dumb about life that he climbed into the car with some stranger when his broke down. Thought he was so invincible but he wasn't! No one is!"

"Your cancer came back," Tanner said, "and that's why you went after Brian."

The man looked up at the ceiling, "he was just like me." Dom let out a growl, Brian was nothing like this guy. "I've read all about him in the papers, so many near misses with death, it was like he thought he could out run it forever. But you can't do that either."

"Just like the seven years you spent cancer free," Tanner said frowning. "You out ran death, and now it's caught up to you, nature is taking its course. But instead of letting Brian continue living you're taking that away from him."

The man turned his head to the side, letting the cops words sink in. Looking guilty, like he was sorry for what he did. He looked over at Dom, "he told you where he was in his will, if you really loved him," he breathed, "you would know."

That was all Dom needed to know before he was running out of the room, followed by the thundering sounds of the crew who were listening in on the other side of the mirror.

Dom dove for the letter sitting on the desk, he had been so concentrated on the fact it said will, and Brian was saying goodbye that he missed any clues that Brian might have given. He read the letter once more this time out loud.

"It seems fitting to die here, the place where I began to finally live." Dom said slowly thinking hard about where that might be. He kept reading hoping for something more. "I didn't really start living till I chose you over everything else."

"Is he talking about the cafè?" Mia gasped, "That's where he met you!"

Dom shook his head, "met not chose, he said he chose me over everything else."

"Over being a cop," Vince said loudly and suddenly.

Dom's eyes widened he looked up at Tanner, "where he gave me his keys! The railroad tracks!"

The drive to the tracks was the longest drive of his life, one spent in a police cruiser, there was a time that Dom swore he die before he ever got back in one. Now he couldn't care about that, about anything else. The only thing he cared about was the time that had passed, not knowing if they were too late.

When they arrived there were already cops there digging, ones that were on duty in the area and made it there in record time. Even with the rain it wasn't hard to find the spot on the ground that Brian was buried underneath, a patch of dirt that looked different from the rest.

Dom yearned for a shovel, he knew there wasn't room for him, and with all his shaking he would probably be no help, but he needed to something to do, needed to feel like he was helping in some way.

There was an ambulance there with EMS on site; they were standing by with an oxygen tank and blankets ready to go, just waiting.

Waiting like Dom, with the rest of the family right behind him.

"We got it!" Someone from the group with shovels called out when they hit a box.

Dom felt Vince grab his shoulder, and he didn't know if it was to keep Dom calm, or himself. Dom watched as they hauled the box up from the whole. He started to move towards it slowly, "all of you stay here," he told the team. Knowing if they were too late that it wasn't something they needed to see.

He sped up when they started to unlatch the case, got there just in time to see Brian's still body cramped in a to small box. Dom almost hit his knees at the sight of it, at the sight of a Brian that wasn't breathing or moving. The EMTs worked quickly, placing the mask on his face. They looked around quickly to find someone to pick up the officer, and Dom stepped up knowing he needed to be the one that did it.

He walked over and gently picked up the blonde man, carried him over to the ambulance the EMTs where pointing to, talking to Brian they whole way. "I need you to wake up Bri," he tried first. "I need you to be okay, come on Brian, be okay!" His voice rose a little higher. "You're going to be okay, I can't lose you Bri, I can't lose you."

In the back of his mind he registered the desperate wails that came from Mia, her screaming about the top of the box being covered in blood, but at the time his mind could only focus on Brian, on getting him to wake up.

"Please Bri, please baby don't do this to me. I'm begging you. I love you and I can't lose you."

The jerk that Brian made in his arms was so sudden that Dom almost dropped him. Brian's eyes were wide and frantic when they finally opened, not focusing on anything. "Brian its okay, I got you baby," Dom told him, relief flooding ever fiber of his being. "I got you, your safe Bri, I got you, and I've always got you."

"He's alive!" One of the EMT's yelled out while Dom placed Brian on the back of the ambulance. Never letting go of him even when people came rushing around him with blankets. Dom grabbed as many blankets as he could and started to place them around Brian. He started rubbing his shoulders and arms trying to help the man regain some warmth.

Brian's breathing was uneven and harsh, filled with panic, but it was the best damn sound Dom had ever heard. "You're alive," he whispered into Brian's ear.

It wasn't long before the rest of the family came running over, Mia in the lead, "Dom he's hurt, there was blood! So much blood."

Dom looked along Brian's body looking for any type of wound, other than the small cut on his head. He expected a gunshot, or maybe a stab wound, but what he found was Brian's hands covered in blood. Fingernails ripped off, and the tips of his fingers shredded. "You tried to claw your way out," Dom said when it finally hit him.

Brian's eyes finally focused on Dom, he took a breath and shakily reached for the mask, he pulled it down and gasped and let out a raspy broken, "I love you."

"I know," Dom said pushing the mask back up. "I read your note, I love you Brian O' Conner, and I'm going to spend the rest of your life making sure you always know it, but you got to stick around with me, okay?" Brian nodded, tears gathering in his eyes, overflowing out onto his cheeks. "I love you," Dom said again, "and I ain't ever going to leave you, so you don't have to worry about that ever again. All of us," Dom pointed at their family behind them, "were going to stick with you no matter what."

Brian pushed away the mask with his shoulder and shakily lifted his hands up and grabbed the front of Dom's shirt, "I love you," he rasped out desperately again.

Dom bent down looked him in the eyes and placed the oxygen mask back on Brian's face. "Keep it on baby, you need it," he said gently. Brian's hands were shaking against Dom, and he knew that Brian was still trying to convince himself that he was alive, that Dom was there and meant what he had said. He pulled him into his chest and kissed the whole left side of his face repeatedly before whispering into his ear, "I love you too Bri, I'm always going to love you."


End file.
